Rangers 2 - 1 Ayr: Gers grateful for Mohsni double

Rangers took another step towards a century of points as they recorded their 32nd League One victory with a 2-1 win over Ayr United.

Rangers' Bilel Mohsni scores his first goal against Ayr. Picture: PA

SCORERS: Rangers - Mohsni 54, 82; Ayr - Forrest 69

Defender Bilel Mohsni was the hero with both his team’s goals, either side of the Ayr equaliser by Alan Forrest – the younger brother of Celtic winger James.

The win moves the new third-tier champions to 98 points and leaves just them with two fixtures – Stranraer at home and Dunfermline away – to negotiate as they seek to complete their league campaign without suffering defeat.

Ayr were one of three teams not to have scored against Ally McCoist’s side so far this season as they steamrollered their way to promotion.

And it looked as though their miserable record against the fallen Glasgow giants would continue as Mohsni headed in from a corner on 54 minutes following a goalless and fairly uneventful first half.

However, Forrest then left the Ibrox crowd – which looked well short of the 40,651 announced by the hosts – stunned when he equalised and threatened to secure a draw for Ayr 15 minutes later. Forrest made the most of a slip-up by Arnold Peralta to level the scores after 69 minutes, but the visitors were unable to cling on for a point despite putting in an admirable shift.

Normal service was resumed for McCoist’s men when Mohsni scored his second of the evening with eight minutes of the game remaining.

He was alert enough to pounce on a loose ball inside the six-yard box to smash home his 12th goal of the season, much to the delight of the home fans.

The Frenchman might have been an unlikely saviour for Rangers but his goals maintain the Glasgow club’s impressive record in League One.

The result keeps Rangers on course to break the 100-point barrier when Stranraer visit Ibrox for a lunchtime kick-off on Saturday.

Rangers: Bell, Foster, Mohsni, Aird, Smith, McCulloch, Peralta (Clark 72), Black, Daly, Shiels (Gallagher 72, Law (Hutton 86). Subs: Faure, Simonsen, Crawford, Telfer.

Ayr United: Hutton, McGowan, Pope, Campbell, Lithgow, Gilmour, Forrest, McLaughlin, Moffat, Malcolm, Donald. Subs: Kyle, Shankland, Crawford, Hunter, Marenghi, Longridge, Newman.